A recent renovation has breathed new life into the vintage property, from designer and luxurious cabana suites, to the old school rooms from when Bugsy Siegel owned the joint in the '40s.
Eric Jamison/Studio J Inc

The El Cortez is a consistent contender for lowest rates in town, including sub-$20 rooms in the deepest discounting periods of the year -- July and December -- and there are no resort-fee add-ons.
Eric Jamison/Studio J Inc

Since opening last year, The Smith Center has brought to Las Vegas what this town has always struggled to prove it had all along: culture. The beautiful performing arts campus has certainly added an air of respectability to the local entertainment options.
Steve Hall

There's no shortage of mixology bars in this area, from Downtown Cocktail Room to Vanguard Lounge, but walk a block up to Commonwealth, which has one of the swankiest, most creative beverage programs in the city
Anthony Mair

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Everyone is entranced by the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas Boulevard, but we can't forget that it all started Downtown. The area due north of the Stratosphere has seen a revival in the past few years; hotels have been renovated and revamped, while new, independent businesses have moved in -- as have the younger, professional hipsters. The dining scene is expanding slowly but surely, and it's still way cheaper to drink here than on the Strip. If you're planning on coming to Vegas, but don't want a typical night, here's a blueprint for the perfect night off the Strip.

Pre-show dinner at MTO Cafe

There's no shortage of new dining experiences to check out Downtown, such as Kerry Simon's new Carson Kitchen or the recently revamped menu at Stewart + Ogden at Downtown Grand. But for a solid, low-key meal before a show at The Smith Center, make a reservation at MTO Cafe, which will keep its kitchen open until 7 p.m. on specific show nights. In addition to the regular breakfast and lunch menu, chef Johnny Church has created a three-course, prix fixe dinner to kick off your evening. Choices include a summer, farmers market tomato or Hale Caesar salad for starters, tomato or French onion soup, Korean-style skirt steak with quinoa fried rice or short rib shepherd's pie, all followed by a sweet finish of apple rings with cinnamon-sugar butter icing.

Since opening last year, The Smith Center has brought to Las Vegas what this town has always struggled to prove it had all along: culture. The beautiful performing arts campus has certainly added an air of respectability to the local entertainment options. Broadway hits such as Wicked and Book of Mormon have made stops, and new productions of plays such as The Tempest have launched from here before heading off to the rest of the country. If you were in New York, it would be way more difficult to get tickets to some of the shows that are coming next, including Ghost: The Musical (August 12-17) and Kinky Boots (September 4-14). Lovers of more independent theater can plan an evening in one of the smaller studio performance spaces as well, with productions such as Sister's Summer School Catechism (August 22-24). Part of the hilarious Late Night Catechism series, this show turns the audience into students who haven't paid attention to Sister during the school year.

After getting your culture fix, head down to Fremont Street to continue your evening. But we don't mean you have to head to the chaotic tourist-heavy Fremont Street Experience. If you walk just out from underneath the giant LED screen canopy, you'll find yourself on one of the coolest, up-and-coming drags in town, where even the hipster locals are hanging out. There's no shortage of mixology bars in this area, from Downtown Cocktail Room to Vanguard Lounge, but walk a block up to Commonwealth, which has one of the swankiest, most creative beverage programs in the city, from your usual beer suspects to your Old Fashioneds to new-fangled takes on classic cocktails. The two-story bar has a rooftop for when it cools down at night and live entertainment during the week, not to mention a hidden cocktail bar in the back called the Laundry Room for serious drinkers. Not a bad spot for a nightcap. Or three.

After an action-packed night, simply saunter across the street to your room at El Cortez, the longest continuously-running hotel in Las Vegas. A recent renovation has breathed new life into the vintage property, from designer and luxurious cabana suites, to the old school rooms from when Bugsy Siegel owned the joint in the '40s.